Few smells are as synonymous with summertime as the heady hum of petrol and freshly cut grass – a transformative whiff that’s akin to Proust with his Madeleines for me.
Thankfully though, the ritual of lawnmowing has come of age since my childhood days of half dislocating my shoulder yanking the stiff starter cord on my dad’s aged Suffolk Punch before promptly flooding the engine – again.
Come the 80s and the UK went electric. As gardeners were lulled by manufacturer’s bold promises of ‘plug and play’ ease, a new breed of plastic mowers filled sheds across the capital. The marketing melee between Flymo and Qualcast became the Blur vs Oasis of its day, the latter mowing into its rival with the cheeky claim its products were ‘a lot less bother than a hover’.
More recently, with electric models seen as a cleaner, greener option, many of us have gone cordless, aided by the development of cheaper, longer-lasting and quicker-charging lithium-ion batteries. As a cordless is only as good as its battery though it pays to aim for at least 4ah (Amp hours), where possible, or preferably invest in a spare.
Meanwhile, the more reluctant mowers among us have invested in robotic lawnmowers, possibly as a companion for that robot vacuum cleaner we bought (and tripped over) during lockdown. This leaves even more time to debate the big burning issues of the day such as the relative merits of mulching vs collecting your grass trimmings.
Yet even in these tech-savvy times, there’s still a place for the humble hand push mower, offering a cheap, quiet and low-maintenance ‘grab and go’ solution that’s perfect for taming small lawns and awkward green spaces. Add one to your spring and summertime time lawncare programme, alongside other classics such as scarifiers and ‘Springbok’ rakes and your lawns will look lavish through autumn.
Shop the best lawn mowers for 2024 at a glance:
- Best for power and performance: Gtech Lawnmower CLM50 - £600, Gtech
- Best for budget hybrid lawnmower: Black & Decker 3-in-1 Strimmer with Mower Base - £75.99, Amazon
- Best for budget hover lawnmower: Flymo Turbo Lite 250 - £74.96, Amazon
- Best for cordless lawnmower under £150: Einhell Power X-Change 18/30 Cordless Lawnmower - £110, Amazon
- Best for affordable lightweight cordless lawnmower: VonHaus 40v Cordless Lawnmower - £179.99, Amazon
- Best for value cordless lawnmower and trimmer: Greenworks 48V Cordless 36cm Lawnmower - £259.98, Amazon
- Best for value rotary petrol lawnmower for larger lawns: Makita PLM4631N2 163cc Petrol Lawn Mower - £352, Amazon
- Best for steep slopes: Cobra Airmow 51B - £419.99, Mowers Online
- Best for value robot lawnmower under £500: LawnMaster L10 robot lawnmower 20V Max - £399, Amazon
- Best for petrol lawnmower for larger lawns around £500: Hyundai 196cc Petrol Lawnmower - £489.98
- Best for value petrol lawnmower: Titan 41cm, 125cc Self-Propelled Rotary Petrol Lawnmower - £229.99, Screwfix
- Best for powerful ride-on performance at a pleasing price: Mountfield MTF 98M SD - £2129, B&Q
- Best for quietly getting on with it: Flymo EasiLife Go 150 Robotic Lawnmower - £553.66, Amazon
- Best for no-nonsense cordless mowing: Karcher LMO 18-36 - £380.01, Homebase
- Best for easy set-up: Honda MIIMO 40 Live Robotic Lawnmower - £889, Just Lawnmowers
Read on for a taste of who and what’s currently mowing down the market, from hi-tech to traditional, from £59.99 to just over £2000.
Gtech Lawnmower CLM50
Best for: Power and performance
I have rapidly become a big fan of Gtech as a company in general and the products it produces. In the first instance, it’s because Gtech is a British success story and, in the second instance, because said products both look great and perform like absolute pros.
Take this, the CLM50, for example. Not only does it look like no other cordless mower on the market, but it also comes with a generously sized 42cm cutting width, 10mm height adjustment increments from 30mm to 80mm, a large 50-litre clipping catcher for less emptying faff, plus a powerful 48V motor to hack on through whatever lies before it.
Also – a neat feature – the Gtech features an intelligent blade that normally runs at 2800rpm, but when it senses extra oomph is required to get to grips with thick clumps of seriously stubborn grass, it rotates faster to 3500rpm, so a bit like hitting the ‘Sport’ button in the car.
Capable of running for around 40 minutes on a single charge, depending on how tough the terrain, that should equate to about 400m2, while a one-hour charge will have you back on cutting track before the summer storm clouds have had a chance to regroup.
Safe too, the CLM50 also includes an operational safety key, which has to be in the ‘on’ position before you can initiate the two-step start process, so there’s no chance of it accidentally roaring into life or being fired up by little hands that should be steering well clear.
An excellent option for getting grass sorted with no fuss that also folds down to next to nothing for easy storage, the CLM50 is yet more greatness from Gtech.
- Power: 48V
- Cutting width: 42cm
- Cutting height: 30-80mm
- Lawn area: Up to 400m2
- Mulching: No
- Grass catcher capacity: 50L
- Weight: 13.5kg
Buy now £600.00, Gtech
Einhell 30cm Manual Lawnmower Cylinder Hand Mower
Best for: Budget hand push lawnmower
There’s something particularly satisfying – not to mention environmentally friendly – about mowing under your own steam using a simple, old-school hand-push lawnmower. Indeed, when you’ve got limited lawn space it can be just the job and this affordable option is a case in point being extremely light (6.5kg), quiet and refreshingly hassle-free.
At 30cm wide its five steel cutting blades offer a narrow cutting path that’s really handy for taming your fiddly bits although Einhell bills it as an option for lawns of up to 150sqm.
While decidedly basic, it ticks the main boxes, offering an easily adjustable cutting height that can be set to four levels, from 37mm to a sensationally short 13mm.
Other welcome features include the easily removable 16-litre basket for catching the cuttings; large, wide lawn-friendly wheels; and a 4.5cm diameter plastic roller to finesse your finish. Tidy.
Buy now £59.99, B&Q
Black & Decker 3-in-1 Strimmer with Mower Base
Best for: Budget hybrid lawnmower
Ok, so calling this funny-looking fella a lawnmower is pushing it but I reckon this budget hybrid lawnmower, weighing in at just 6.61kg, constitutes a rather nifty and versatile garden gadget, not least for users who are elderly or suffering from ill health. Or perhaps you’re simply one of the many Londoners who aren’t prepared to be out preening your patch every summer night. Regardless of your motivation, it’s actually a pretty neat idea, comprising a corded electric 550w, 240v grass trimmer that ‘locks’ into a plastic, wheeled mower base so you can push it over your lawn. This has adjusted the trimmer’s telescopic handle to suit your height.
In this ‘mowing’ mode the trimmer’s rotating cord, spinning at up to 7500rpm, provides a 30cm-wide mowing path. Once finished, release the trimmer to tackle any tall patches of undergrowth, twisting the handle round to lick those lawn edges into shape. While it won’t gift your lawn a perfect finish it’ll certainly help keep the green stuff in check and stop the neighbours from commenting on the state of your garden. When done, simply hang the two parts in your shed till next time. Simples.
Buy now £75.99, Amazon
Flymo Turbo Lite 250
Best for: Budget hover lawnmower
Who else but Flymo? Since the company has been flooding the UK with its hovering tangerine helpers for decades you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re in for with this product. So long as you’re ok with a corded electric option that doesn’t collect the clippings – and you don’t mind faffing about with the spacers to switch between the four available cutting heights, from 11mm to 31mm – you’ll be on pretty safe ground.
Best pitched at smaller gardens, and a good bet for sloping and irregular-shaped spaces, this ‘hover’ mower does just that, floating over your lawn aloft a cushion of air while its horizontally-spinning metal blade, powered by a 1400W motor, unleashes an apocalyptic, 25cm-wide tirade upon your cowering grass, powered by that 10-metre electrical cable. Heady stuff.
When done, the dual-lever handles fold down nicely for storage, and at 5.1kg it won’t break your back lifting it onto the hook in the shed either.
Buy now £74.96, Amazon
Einhell Power X-Change 18/30 Cordless Lawnmower With Battery and Charger
Best for: Cordless lawnmower under £150
If you’re after a lightweight solution for a small, flattish lawn measuring, say, 50-60sqm, and your budget won’t stretch beyond £150, then this quality option from dependable German brand Einhell could be for you.
Tipping the scales at 9.32kg, it may not have the sturdiest of builds, and that flimsy grass cuttings collection bag won’t win any design awards, but it’s easy to manoeuvre and delivers where it counts. The narrow 30cm cutting width is great for tight spaces and there’s a choice of three cutting heights, from 30-70mm. Note, the single supplied 18V 3ah battery won’t have you mowing from dawn until sundown.
Buy now £110.00, Amazon
VonHaus 40v Cordless Lawnmower
Best for: Affordable lightweight cordless lawnmower
With its 11kg weight and cordless capabilities this cut-price cutter is an attractively affordable lightweight cordless lawnmower that’s supremely easy to use, aided by the nice ergonomic carry handle and foldable body for ease of carriage and storage. The ability to choose between five handle positions is another plus point in terms of control and usability. Powered by a 40V battery that can generate a cutting speed of 3,600RPM, and can also be used to power other items in the brand’s cordless garden range, it features a 33cm cutting width and five cutting heights, ranging from 25mm to 65mm.
Fully charged in an hour, the battery promises a run-time of 25 minutes if mulching the cuttings, or slightly less if collecting them in the 30-litre box. Thanks to the combination of that lightweight and the choice of wheels, twice as wide on the back (28mm) as the front, your lawn will leave an impression on you rather than the other way around.
Buy now £179.99, Amazon
Greenworks 48V Cordless 36cm Lawnmower and 25cm Line Trimmer Kit
Best for: Value cordless lawnmower and trimmer
Being a fan of the reliable and dependable Greenworks range, and liking a bargain, I was instantly drawn to this cordless lawnmower and trimmer kit. A great garden combination starter kit, it features a 48v mower that makes good use of both the two supplied 24v 2ah batteries, a full charge in the double charger taking around an hour. While the lawnmower lacks refinements such as a roller, and its cutting area isn’t as wide as some of the brand’s other offerings, this 36cm model is perfect for those whose needs aren’t too exacting.
There are five cutting height positions, from 25-70mm, operated via a simple lever, and you can either mulch your cuttings or collect them in the 40-litre bin. At 17kg the lawnmower is pretty light, aided by a handy carry handle and a fold-over main handle for ease of storage, and Greenworks reckon you’ll get up to 250m2 of cutting on a full charge. Best of all, the kit comes with a double charger and a 25cm line trimmer for those pesky edges and wild areas, for which you can interchange those 24V batteries. Sweet!
Buy now £259.98, Amazon
Makita PLM4631N2 163cc Petrol Lawn Mower
Best for: Value rotary petrol lawnmower for larger lawns
As a longstanding DIYer, I’ve come to love Makita products for their longevity and durability, easily justifying their price tags, and while this model might not be the most powerful in the range I reckon it’ll take care of many readers’ needs. Billed as suitable for lawns up to 1,400m², that sub-£550 price point provides a very compelling power-to-price ratio. Delivering the goods is a four-stroke, 163cc Briggs and Stratton 675 ‘E’ series engine, promising low noise and clean exhaust emissions. Welcome features include the durable steel body; seven cutting heights, from 25mm to 70mm; and heavy-duty 60-litre cuttings bag with its viewing window topside, presumably to see if you’ve accidentally euthanised the family pet.
It’s not self-propelled, which some won’t like (but personally I do), and that one-year guarantee seems a bit stingy, but hey, you can’t have everything, and all told I reckon it’s a peach – a truly great value rotary petrol lawnmower for larger lawns.
Buy now £352.00, Amazon
Cobra Airmow 51B
Best for: Lawnmower for steep slopes
Uneven terrain can prove mighty challenging for some lawnmowers, stopping lesser machines in their tracks, but unless you spent lockdown constructing a tribute to the short-lived Marble Arch Mound in your backyard this highly capable, petrol-powered ‘hover’ lawnmower from Cobra should have your undulating garden needs covered. Indeed, the AirMow 51B is almost as happy hovering about, or hanging out, on the slopes as a minor member of the Royal household, capable of tackling inclines of up to 45 degrees, according to Cobra.
Moreover, with that powerful combination of Briggs & Stratton 575 EX Ready Start engine, nice and wide 51cm cutting width and floaty ‘hover’ motion over the grass, buoyed by a cushion of air, it makes refreshingly light work of large areas. At 20kg it won’t feel inordinately heavy or unwieldy either, plus it comes with a quick-release wheel set to transport it to where you need it to be. Comes with a two-year warranty.
Buy now £419.99, Mowers Online
LawnMaster L10 robot lawnmower 20V Max
Best for: Value robot lawnmower under £500
Given how robot lawnmowers can vary between costing silly money and being as much use as a jam fireplace, I simply love the L10, constituting as it does a great value robot lawnmower with a sub-£500 price tag, 18cm cutting width and a cutting height that’s easily adjustable from 60mm to 20mm.
The supplied 2.0ah battery should be good for 35-40 minutes of runtime off a charging cycle of around 45 minutes and LawnMaster reckons it’s good for lawns up to 400sqm, handling sloping lawns with gradients of up to 35 per cent. Once set up it’s about as low-maintenance a lawncare solution as you can get.
Want your lawns cut daily? You got it. Every other day? No problem. Going on holiday? It’s got you covered. Simply set up the boundary wire in your garden, as per the instructions, position the charging station and this bad boy will automatically recharge, carrying on regardless, as programmed, its mulching action helping nourish your lawn.
Rain needn’t stop play either, thanks to the L10’s IPX5 waterproofing, and sensors shut off its blades if it’s picked up or bumps into objects, ticking the safety box. Plus, PIN code protection prevents your jealous neighbours from hijacking its flight route to take out your prize-winning petunias.
Chances are that, as you eyeball it lovingly out the window, you’ll wonder how you did without it.
Buy now £399.00, Amazon
Hyundai 196cc Petrol Lawnmower, 20" 51cm 4 Stroke, Self Propelled Petrol Mower
Best for: Petrol lawnmower for larger lawns around £500
This self-propelled blue beauty, aimed at medium and large gardens, makes light work of large spaces with its 50.8cm cutting width, 70-litre grass collector bag and that beefy Hyundai OHV 196cc four-stroke engine. Switching between the six different cutting heights, ranging from 25mm to 75mm, is a doddle thanks to the handy lever and firing it up is a breeze thanks to the electric push-button ignition. It takes uneven terrain in its stride, too, aided by the large rear wheels and rear-wheel drive, and it’s also got a mulching option.
Trip and fall on a molehill and it’ll cut out as you let go of the handle rather than plough on through your neighbour’s fence like a scene in a bad sitcom. Afterwards, simply fold the soft grip handles forward over the body to hang for storage. There’s no roller, mind, so you won’t get that classic striped lawn effect (for a model with a roller consider its slightly more expensive sibling) but there is a cup holder to rest your beer in while mowing on a hit summer evening (always drink and mow responsibly, folks). Comes with a three-year warranty.
Buy now £489.98, Amazon
Titan 41cm, 125cc Self-Propelled Rotary Petrol Lawnmower
Best for: Value petrol lawnmower
Fancy bagging yourself a self-propelled rotary petrol mower with a Briggs & Stratton OHV Engine for under £180 now that Screwfix has knocked £20 off it? Yes, I thought that’d get your attention. With its 125cc four-stroke engine and 50-litre grass box, it may not be as powerful or feature-rich as its more expensive rivals but the Titan blows me away with its feature set for the price.
Selling points include the strong steel body and hardened steel blade delivering a 41cm cutting width. It offers seven cutting heights, from 25mm to 75mm, and while it’s not the lightest, tipping the scales at 25.8kgs, its Anti-Vibration System helps ensure you don’t feel like you’ve boxed ten rounds with a heavyweight by the time you finish. Supplied with a two-year guarantee, all told I reckon it’s an astonishingly good value petrol lawnmower – a stellar option for those who don’t need a high-octane, hi-falutin’ option and would rather focus on filling that 0.8-litre tank than breaking the bank.
Buy now £229.99, Screwfix
Mountfield MTF 98M SD
Best for: powerful ride-on performance at a pleasing price
Another petrol-pushed performance powerhouse with a far less chest-tightening price tag, the MTF 98M SD comes from the UK’s very own Mountfield. It’s a dedicated side-discharge garden tractor that comes capable of coping with lawns up to two acres in size, thanks to a sizable 6L tank and a 352cc OHV single-cylinder electric key-start engine.
With light-touch steering, you don’t have to be blessed with the bulky build of a lifelong land worker to guide the Mountfield gently around any obstacles in your way. As you power through the pasture at up to 6mph, the 98cm rotary blade makes short work of what lies beneath at a choice of seven cutting heights, ranging from 25-80mm.
And it doesn’t skimp on the comfort side of the equation, either, with an adjustable seat that has its own suspension stopping you from getting sore in the saddle over those two epic acres.
Okay, it can't quite turn on the spot like the John Deere Z335E, but with a turning circle of 140cm, it’s hardly going to drag out the job, and whilst it may be a side-discharge system by design, an optional mulch plug and tow hitch are available to let you gather up as you go.
Featuring a 5 +1 manual transmission (five forward gears + reverse), the Mountfield MTF 98M SD is a lot of ride-on lawn mower for considerably less cash than any of its contemporaries.
Finally, clinching the deal, not only does it also have twin headlights for mowing around midnight, but out of all the options assembled here, it’s the only one with a smiley ‘face’, which is worth the initial outlay alone!
Buy now £2129.00, B&Q
Flymo EasiLife Go 150 Robotic Lawnmower
Best for: quietly getting on with it
Our favourite thing about the incredibly quiet EasiLife Go 150 Robotic Lawnmower? The FrostSense function, which ensures it “stays at home until it’s warm enough to mow.” Because let’s face it, we’ve all had those days when we’ve peeked through the curtains and decided to stay in bed. In all seriousness, it’s a brilliant feature which prevents unnecessary damage to rock-hard, frozen lawns.
Setting up this mower, designed to mow gardens of up to 150m2, was easy, and it’s another mower which has a guide wire, allowing it to quickly find its way home after the lawn has been mapped or mowed.
We also loved the positioning of the wheels. Often, three-wheeled mowers have the larger wheels at the back, but having the larger two at the front meant it happily rumbled over uneven terrain. We admittedly struggled to pair it with the app at first and ended up relying on the manual controls, the upside of which was the realisation that although it’s a mower designed to be used paired with your phone, the manual controls are incredibly easy to operate.
Buy now £553.66, Amazon
Karcher LMO 18-36
Best for: no-nonsense cordless mowing
Battery System: 18v battery with integrated LCD display to communicate remaining charging time
Included: 18v battery and fast charger not included but available for purchase
Cutting-edge stuff from Karcher, this cordless lawn mower has the looks of a kid’s ride-on car (Note: do not let your kids ride on the mower). The slickly designed, lightweight (13.3kg), bright yellow beast comes with an integrated handy for convenient carrying, four cutting height settings from 30- to 70mm and a nice big 36cm rotary blade to teach that turf who’s boss.
A 45L grass catcher box lets you mow like the devil between emptying or you can whip it off altogether and switch to the mulching function if you want to feed back, whilst the battery gives you around 24 minutes, enough time to reasonably cover 350m² of ground before you’ll need to stick in back on charge for 134-minutes to get it back to full power.
Again, the ability to steer easily and freely around all objects or hold an unfailing straight line for perfect lawn stripes is all in the large wheels and that aforementioned lightweight and, when all done, the collapsible grass box means storage is made much simpler.
To make light work of lawn maintenance, you really can’t go wrong with the Karcher LMO 18-36 and you can have it any colour you like… as long as it’s yellow.
Buy now £380.01, Homebase
Honda MIIMO 40 Live Robotic Lawnmower
Best for: easy set-up
This super-quiet mower was another one which was incredibly easy to set up. We started by simply scanning the QR code handily displayed on the side of the box, before downloading the app, which guided us through the set-up process in a clear, concise way.
It appeared to be slightly more sensitive than the other robot mowers we tested – it stopped twice when confronted with an “obstacle” (an errant strand of ivy). It responded by asking “Is this the base?”, and then asking us to remove the obstacle, which we did, after which it carried on with its session.
However, this enhanced level of sensitivity could well appeal to some as it’s designed for smaller gardens covering up to 400 m2, which will inevitably have more delicate areas. It’s perhaps an unavoidable downside to such a compact mower but the advantage is that it tucks effortlessly into the smallest of spaces. We also appreciated the presence of not three but four wheels, which (barring the ivy incident) gave it added manoeuvrability and allowed it to tackle gentle inclines without losing traction.
Buy now £889.00, Just Lawnmowers
